The Grace Proclamator

and Promulgator

"To testify
the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24

**PUBLISHED AS A MISSION PROJECT OF
CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH**

April 1, 2005

For the purpose of speed, pictures, if any, do
not load with text pages. At the point a picture was in the printed paper, a
link will appear for those who wish to see the pictures. Simply click on the
link and picture will load.

John 15:16-19 Ye have not chosen me, but I have
chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that
your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name,
he may give it you. 17 These things I command you, that ye love one another. 18
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye
were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the
world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

And I ... will be gracious to whom I will be
gracious, and will shew mercy to whom will show mercy (Ex. 33:19).

God hath from the beginning chosen you to
salvation (II Thes 2:13).

There is a remnant according to the election
of grace (Rom. 11:5).

INTRODUCTION

Pensacola Christian College publishes a
magazine called PCC Update. In its August or
September edition, 2003, issue, there was an article entitled Election and Free
Will. Here are some excerpts from it that I find to be of interest:

. . . scripture teaches
both election and free will. But some turn it into a lop-sided, false
doctrine, saying that people are elected to either heaven or hell . . . They
fail to consider that God designed a method for man's salvation, which gives man
the free will to choose.

Before the foundation of
the world, God elected the method He would use for man's salvation---Christ
would be sacrificed for man's sin, rise from the dead declaring victory over sin
and the grave, and 'whosoever believeth' would have eternal life. Thus,
each person's free will determines his eternal destiny . . . each person chooses
either to believe God for salvation or reject God's gift of salvation.
Those who choose not to believe God will spend eternity in hell.

But our merciful,
gracious God wants everyone to know beforehand how to receive eternal life and
thus become God's elect.

Those who believe on
Christ become God's elect, bound for heaven. The word 'elect' appears 14
times in the NT, referring to saved people.

Peter called believers
the elect and a chosen generation---I Pet. 2:6,9. They were
'elect' because they chose to believe God.

It is regretful that some
twist scripture regarding God's invitation for all sinners to come to Christ for
forgiveness, peace, and an eternal home in heaven. Deceived by
Satan, they lead many down a wrong path to eternal damnation.
(Emphasis mine, RWC)

I say without reservation, these are the
people who twist Scripture to try to get away from the doctrine of Divine
sovereignty in salvation. Not only do they twist Scripture, they totally
misrepresent the doctrine of election. There are three things in these excerpts
that show their deliberate perversion of the doctrine or their terrible
ignorance of the doctrine. Perhaps there is some of both.

First, the article stated that the doctrine of
election as taught by such persons as this writers says that people are elected
to either heaven or hell. I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt and
say that they are just grossly ignorant of the doctrine and that that is why
they make this untrue declaration. The truth is that election has absolutely
nothing to do with one going to hell. Election, as I will show, is unto
salvation; it is never unto damnation in hell. In fact, Dear Reader, I have met
many people who believed the doctrine of gracious, unconditional election but
not one of them ever advocated that some are elected to go to hell. Not one!!!!!
This notion is hatched in the minds of those who oppose the biblical doctrine.

Second, the article declares that Before the
foundation of the world, God elected the method He would use for man's
salvation. Now my friends there is not a Scripture in all of the Holy Word of
God that speaks of the election of the method God would use for man’s
salvation. The Bible speaks of the election of persons, not a method. God
hath from the beginning chosen YOU to salvation, says the word of
God (2 Thessalonians 2:13). One does not have to be a college
graduate to know that this verse speaks of the election of persons, not a
method.

Again notice, Ephesians 1:4 According as
he hath chosen US in him before the foundation of the world, that WE
should be holy and without blame before him in love. It is so obvious
that the election here is of persons, not a method, that a rational person would
have to be willfully blind to not see it.

Consider also, 1 Thessalonians 1:4
Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. Again we see
that God’s election is of persons, not of a method, as is affirmed in the
article.

Again it is obvious from Romans 8:33 that
election is of individuals, not some method of salvation. Romans 8:33 Who
shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. God
justifies his people when they believe on him. The elect in this verse are the
same ones whom God justifies. He justifies people not a method. Therefore, he
must have elected people, not a method of saving people. Surely the writer of
the article should be able to see the perverseness of his doctrine when he
considers the Word of God.

Once more for now consider another verse from
Holy Writ, 2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s
sakes, that THEY may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ
Jesus with eternal glory. This is clearly an election of persons, not a
method. How any can fail to see this is amazing. Moreover, at least some of the
elect of whom Paul wrote in this verse had not yet obtained the salvation which
is in Christ Jesus for he was enduring suffering for preaching the gospel so
that they could obtain that blessed salvation.

More such scriptures will be cited in the
message so I will move on to another error advanced in the article quoted above.

Third, the writer of the article under
consideration said, Each person's free will determines his eternal destiny.
According to that declaration, Jesus is not the Saviour. Salvation is not of the
Lord. Your free will determines your eternal destiny. A man’s free will is his
saviour. His own free will determines his eternal destiny. The Bible declares
differently. Romans 9:16 So then it is not of him
that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

Because God is the Creator and Sustainer of
the universe he has the sovereign and inalienable right to do as he wills with
his creation, including men. None other than God boldly sets that prerogative
forth himself in one of our texts. I will be gracious to whom I will be
gracious, he solemnly declares. Paul's inspired commentary on this is
seen in his epistle to the Romans. Therefore hath he
mercy on whom he will have mercy (Rom. 9:18).

Fourth, the writer makes another error common
to those who deny the true biblical teaching on the doctrine of election. He
writes, But our merciful, gracious God wants everyone to know beforehand how to
receive eternal life and thus become God's elect. Again, Those who believe on
Christ become God's elect, bound for heaven. Further, They were 'elect' because
they chose to believe God.

We have already seen that men believe because
they have been ordained to eternal life. Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles
heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as
were ordained to eternal life believed. We have seen that Paul suffered
so that the elect might obtain eternal life. 2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I
endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the
salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. Notice they were
elect before they obtained salvation and were ordained to eternal life before
they believed. Thus the writer of the article once again shows his lack of
understanding of the glorious doctrine of election.

Then comes the declaration that is the basis
of this message. Deceived by Satan, they lead many down a wrong path to
eternal damnation. Men are already on the path to destruction. Every
unbeliever is condemned already because he has not believed on Christ. John
3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten
Son of God. Note that he is not condemned because someone teaches the
doctrine of election. He is condemned because he has not believed on Christ.

Every unbeliever is under the abiding wrath of
God. John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he
that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on
him. Note again there is no reference to men going to hell because of
the preaching and teaching of the doctrine of election. In fact, I challenge the
reader to produce one single verse of Scripture that suggest than any person
will be in hell because of the doctrine of election. I challenge him to produce
one single verse of Scripture that remotely suggests that men are led down the
wrong path to eternal damnation by the preaching of the doctrine of election. I
will give him a hint. It will be found just after the verse that says that some
are elected to go to hell.

This sovereign prerogative of our great God
and the exercise of it is clearly set forth by the Psalmist when he writes, But
our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased (Psa. 115:3).
Again he wrote, Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that
did he in heaven and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places (Psa. 135:6).

It took the great king Nebuchadnezzar seven
years in the seminary of insanity to learn that all the inhabitants of the
earth are reputed as nothing and that the living God doeth
according to his will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the
earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, what doest thou? (Dan.
4:35).

Men who seek to vilify and lampoon those who
teach the doctrine of gracious election and who seek to turn the grace of
personal election into lasciviousness by falsifying it would have you believe
that we teach an election that condemns multitudes of men to hell who could,
ought, and probably would go to heaven if there were no election or if we did
not teach the doctrine. This is not true. It is a grandiloquent lie pawned off
upon listeners and readers by those who are the really deceptive teachers and
preachers.

Jesus set forth the fact that God shows grace
and favor toward some while bypassing others. When speaking at Nazareth in the
early part of his ministry he made this declaration: I
tell you a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the
heavens were shut up three years and six months, when great famine was
throughout the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Serepta, a
city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in
the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman
the Syrian (Lu. 4:25-27).

In Israel a terrible famine was causing many
to starve to death. As always, widows were having the roughest time of it. God
did not send Elijah to one of those Israelite widows to give her an unending
supply of food. God bypassed all those widows and let them continue to starve
but graciously blessed a Gentile woman by sending Elijah to her. The fact that
God fed one Gentile widow and left many widows hungry did not make those unfed
widows any more the victims of famine than they already were. They were no worse
off than they were before he fed the one. The intensity of the famine was
unchanged by God's delivering this one woman from its grips. His choice of this
particular woman to be the object of his favor caused no one to starve, and his
choice of certain ones to be the objects of his saving grace condemns no one.
All are already condemned.

In Israel there were many lepers during the
days of Elisha. This disease was incurable and led to separation and death. It
was a terrible disease with which many Israelites were afflicted. Could God
justly and righteously leave those helpless Israelite lepers with their terrible
disease and heal only one leper, a Syrian named Naaman? He did exactly that! He
sovereignly chose to bestow his gracious delivering power upon Naaman while
leaving many others in a leprous state. His choice of Naaman as the object of
his healing power caused no one to get leprosy. It caused no one's leprosy to
get worse or to progress more rapidly. The world had one less leper, not more,
when God graciously healed Naaman.

All men are, by nature, choice, and practice
sinners. As sinners all are justly condemned to hell. The fact that God has
chosen to save some of them from their just and deserved punishment, and make
them the objects of his electing love, distinguishing grace, and sovereign mercy
has no condemning effect upon those whom he does not choose to save. They are no
more condemned than they were had he chosen to bypass the whole human race just
as he bypassed the fallen angels.

THE PREACHING OF THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION DOES
NOT LEAD ANY DOWN A WRONG PATH TO ETERNAL DAMNATION BECAUSE THE BIBLICAL
DOCTRINE OF ELECTION DOES NOT OPPOSE ANY OTHER BIBLICAL TRUTH

Some objections that are often raised against
the doctrine of election are easily answered. Quite often someone, upon hearing
a message on the doctrine of election, will raise a question such as, How do you
harmonize election with John 3:16? Another says, The doctrine of election
contradicts God's promise to answer prayer. Others will say, I can't believe
election and believe 'whosoever will may come'. The real fact is that the
doctrine of election does not contradict any other Biblical truth.

Proof that these objections cannot be
sustained by the word of God is abundant.

Election does not contradict the biblical
teaching on the goodness and love of God. The Apostle Paul wrote, But God
commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us (Rom. 5:8). There is no problem with this verse and the doctrine of
election. The us and we of this verse are the same
folks that are in the first six verses of the chapter. Therefore being
justified by faith, WE have peace with God through OUR Lord Jesus Christ: By
whom also WE have access by faith into this grace wherein WE stand and rejoice
in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but WE glory in tribulations also:
knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and
experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed
abroad in OUR hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto US. There is
a group of people who can say that God commended his love toward them. Those who
are justified by faith can say it. Those who have peace with God can say it.
Those who, by faith, have access into this grace and can therefore rejoice in
the hope of glory can say it. Those who have had the love of God shed abroad in
their hearts by the Holy Ghost.

Paul also tells us a little later that these
same folks who are justified by faith were foreknown and predestinated to be
conformed to the image of God's son (Rom. 8:29-30). Rather than contradicting
the love of God, the doctrine of election explains and clarifies the love of
God. They perfectly harmonize. For God so loved the world, that he gave
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life (Jn. 3:16). This well-known and much-loved
declaration does not contradict the doctrine of election. God forbid that we
accuse the Holy Spirit of inspiring men to write contradicting declarations in
the Bible!

The world of John 3:16 is not
all-inclusive of the human race. It could not include Esau who was not the
object of God's love. Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated (Rom.
9:13). There are others that are not included for David wrote of God and
the impenitent reprobates are included in this group. Thou hatest all
workers of iniquity (Psa, 5:5). The word world in John 3:16 must have
reference to the world of believers; this is the world of the elect for it is
the elect who believe on Christ. As many as were ordained to eternal life
believed (Acts 13:48). Saving faith is the
faith of God's elect Titus 1:1). God hath from the beginning chosen you to
salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and, BELIEF of the truth (II
Thes. 2:13).

THE PREACHING OF THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION DOES
NOT LEAD ANY DOWN A WRONG PATH TO ETERNAL DAMNATION BECAUSE IT DOES NOT PUT THE
PREACHER WHO PREACHES IT IN CONFLICT IN ANY WAY WITH THE PROMISE OF ANSWERED
PRAYER

The promise that God will answer our prayers
is not contradicted by the doctrine of election. And I say unto you, Ask, and it
shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto
you. For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth and to him
that knocketh it shall be opened (Lu. 11:9-10). And this is the confidence that
we have in him, that, if we ask anything ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, he heareth us (I
Jn. 5: 14). It is clear from these verses that God answers our prayers when we
mean business and when we pray according to his will. Now, if I pray for the
salvation of lost sinners I must keep in mind the will of God who quickens
whom he will (Jn. 5:21).John 5:21 For as
the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth
whom he will.

There is not any doubt in my mind, having
studied the eleventh chapter of John, that Mary and Martha prayed for the
healing of their brother, Lazarus. They sent for the Lord. It was not God's
will, however, to heal Lazarus and keep him from dying. It was God's will that
he die and then Christ should come to Bethany to raise him from the dead.
Therefore their prayers for healing went unanswered because they were not
according to the will of God. John 11:4 When Jesus
heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God,
that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

Jesus did not pray for the world in his
mediatorial prayer that is recorded in the seventeenth chapter of John. He
prayed only for those whom the Father had given to him in the covenant of
redemption. I pray for them: I pray not for the world I but for them which
thou hast given me. (Jn. 17:9). Again he said, Neither
pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through
their word (Jn. 17:20).

Let it again be noted that those who
shall believe are those who have been ordained to eternal life
and who have the faith of God's elect (Acts 13:48);Titus
1:1). Acts 13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified
the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to
the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after
godliness.

Should not we learn to pray as Christ prayed
concerning the salvation of people? Let us pray for the salvation of God's elect
and we can be assured our prayers are according to God's will and that they will
be heard.

THE PREACHING OF THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION DOES
NOT LEAD ANY DOWN A WRONG PATH TO ETERNAL DAMNATION BECAUSE THE DOCTRINE OF
ELECTION DOES NOT DENY THE ASSURANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE TO ALL WHO BELIEVE

The doctrine of election is perfectly
consistent with the promise of salvation to all who believe on Christ. Let me
assure you that every person who truly believes in Jesus Christ will be
eternally saved. Jesus said, Verily, verily, I say
unto you, He that heareth my word and believeth on his that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and. shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from
death unto life (Jn. 5:24).

Who does hear Christ's voice and words? My
sheep hear my voice, declared the Saviour. Of sheep whom he had not yet
brought unto salvation Jesus said, Them also I must bring, and they shall
hear my voice (Jn. 10:27, 16). Once more let it be emphasized that those
who believe on Christ are those who have been ordained to eternal life
and who have the faith of God's elect.

THE PREACHING OF THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION DOES
NOT LEAD ANY DOWN A WRONG PATH TO ETERNAL DAMNATION BECAUSE THE DOCTRINE OF
ELECTION DOES NOT CONTRADICT THE FREE INVITATIONS OF SCRIPTURE

There are many invitations set forth in
Scripture. Some are limited in their scope; others may not be limited. None of
them are contradicted by the doctrine of election.

Thee is a call to the heavy-laden. Most Bible
students are familiar with the invitation set forth in Matt. 11:28-30. Come
unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my
yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall
find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. This
invitation is limited in its scope to those who are burdened under the load of
sin.

Lost men in general feel not the heaviness and
burden of sin. They love darkness and sin (Jn. 3:19-21). Until God begins to
convict one of sin, he is not burdened by sin. When God awakens a sinner to his
true condition, and that sinner sees his load of sin as more than he can bear,
then that heavy laden sinner is invited to come to Christ.

When Moses went to lead the children of Israel
out of the bondage of Egypt they said, Let us alone that we may serve the
Egyptians (Ex. 14:12). What made them willing to leave Egypt? When Moses
went before Pharaoh and asked for the freedom of his people, Pharaoh increased
their burdens and rigors of slavery until they were willing to go. God hardened
Pharaoh's heart so that he would make it so hard on them that that they would
want to leave. God did not force Israel to go; he made them willing to go by
bringing the hand of Pharaoh heavily upon them so that they readily left. In the
same way God causes the elect sinner to labor and to be heavy laden under the
load of sin so that he will come to Christ for rest.

In Scripture there is an invitation to the
hungry and thirsty to come and drink of the water of life. Isaiah penned the
words of such an invitation to the thirsting sinner. Ho, every one that
thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money come ye, buy, and
eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price (Isa. 55:1). It
should be pointed out that this invitation is to those who have a thirst for the
water of eternal life. Surely no one will argue that all men thirst for God and
for eternal life. If all men do thirst for God and his righteousness they will
come in response to this invitation. Jesus declared, Blessed are they
which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they SHALL BE FILLED (Matt.
5:6). Jesus said that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness
shall be filled, or satisfied. Since many die in unbelief and in their
sins one must presume that they never received a thirst for God's righteousness.
They are like those who have not received a love of the truth. 2
Thessalonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that
perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be
saved. There is no contradiction of this invitation and the doctrine of
election. Those who thirst are invited to come; they do come and are filled.
Their God-given thirst causes them to come. Blessed
is the man whom thou choosest, and causeth to approach unto thee (Psa. 65:4).

There is in Scripture a call to whosoever will
come. We hear much about the so-called free will of men. It is not
the purpose of this article to enter into that controversy at this time. Let it
simply be affirmed that the doctrine of election in no way contradicts those whosoever
wills and whosoever believeths of Scripture. In fact, the
doctrines of grace explain those invitations and indications. Notice that the whosoever
is always qualified. One preacher said to me on one occasion, The Bible says 'whosoever'
and that disproves election. The Bible never simply says, “Whosoever.”
God is always specific in this matter. The Bible says, Whosoever WILL
let him take of the water of life freely (Rev. 22:17). The Bible says, Whosoever
SHALL CONFESS ME before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before
the angels of God (Lu. 12:8). Jesus said, Whosoever
DRINKETH of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst (Jn.
4:14).

All of these whosoevers are
qualified as are all others. There are those who will respond to this call to
take of the water of life freely. Who will come and take of the water of life
freely? Who will be willing to confess Christ? Who will believe on Christ? Who
will hear the voice of Christ? Who will come to Christ? Thy people shall
be willing in the day of thy power (Psa. 110:3).All that the
Father giveth me shall come to me (Jn. 6:37). My sheep hear my voice (Jn.
10:27).As many as were ordained to eternal life believed' (Acts
13:48).No man can come unto me, except it were given unto his of
my Father (Jn. 6:65).

The invitation to whosoever will would
bring no guests to the feast of salvation were it not for the unconditional
election and the effectual call of those chosen. Left to their own free-wills
which are controlled by their depraved natures none would ever come. Those who
do come, come because they were chosen and caused to approach. Psalm 65:4
Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that
he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy
house, even of thy holy temple. They were enabled by the Father, taught
by the Father, and quickened by the Holy Spirit (Jn. 6:44, 45, 63, 65; Eph.
2:1). They have been made willing in the day of God's power (Psa. 110:3).

Acts 10:33 Immediately therefore I sent to
thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here
present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.

This verse ran through my mind as a sat in the
room with the people pictured here. We had been there for about 30 minutes while
the people came from the fields where they worked and from their homes to here
the gospel preached, most for the first time ever. The leader of the village and
the man of the house where we were meeting finally turned to Bro. Anond and
said, “We are all here.” The room was full and the porch was covered with
people gathered for us to hear the word of God.

Bro. Anond was contacted by a man from the
village of Pa Sak near Chiang Rai, Thailand. This village should not be confused
with Pa Sak where the first church in the work in Thailand was started in 1997.
Bro. Anond is still a member there and this is the church that sent him out to
carry the gospel to other villages and baptize and establish churches.

This village in which we were preaching was
totally given over to the worship of evil spirits. In fact, it is the first
village that I have preached in that had a house that was dedicated to the
worship of evil spirits and the doctrines of this religion. In most villages
where there is spirit worship each family has its own little spirit house in a
corner or somewhere else on the wall. There they over their little sacrifices of
water and food and burn their incense, or whatever it is they burn.

We preached (I preached and Bro. Anond
translated) for about an hour, possibly a little longer. I carefully declared
the gospel and then spent the last 15 minutes or so explaining Scriptural
baptism. I reiterated some things I had said in the sermon about baptism not
saving one’s soul.

This is a real problem in Thailand for several
groups there teach or imply that if folks will just submit to their baptism they
will be saved. In fact, this week, in that very same village a lady told Bro.
Anond that she wanted to be baptized. He asked her why she wanted to be baptized
and she replied, “When I am baptized I will be saved.” He explained to her
that baptism would not save her and would not even partially save her and told
her she needed to attend services and hear the gospel more. He explained that
one is only saved by trusting in Christ alone for salvation.

It is necessary that we preach the gospel and
teach the people that Christ alone saves—not baptism, not the Lord’s Supper,
not church membership. Jesus is the only Saviour. Once that is done the prospect
often asks, “What is the point in being baptized then?” This gives us the
opportunity to explain the place of baptism in the Christian life and in a true
church of Jesus Christ.

After we had preached at this first service,
Bro. Anond asked if any had believed on Jesus Christ and were trusting him for
salvation. Fifteen stood up and confessed to have believed on Christ. (Note: In
doing some of the presentations and reports since I have been home I have
mistakenly said there were eighteen professions of faith but in looking back
tonight at the report that I wrote at the time I see there were only fifteen. I
did not knowingly report this number. It was just in my mind but fifteen is the
correct number. Please forgive my error.)

We then asked how many desired to follow the
Lord in baptism and thirteen submitted to baptism. Bro. Anond baptized them as
he is authorized to do by the church in the other village of Pa Sak that was
organized in 1997. Before he baptized any of them we made a trip to the homes of
the people and removed the spirit houses and took the materials to burn. We then
went to the river and baptized them and organized the church.

We went there again Saturday, February 12,
2005, for a service. Some of our students had gone the night before to celebrate
the Chinese New Year with the people and after midnight and also the next
morning they had two services in which two professions of faith were made.

We knew when we left to go up there that there
was one to baptize. When we got there we learned of the two professions of faith
and these had asked for baptism and membership in the church. We had another
service and I preached and there were two more professions of faith during the
service and these were received for baptism.

We left the service to take out a couple of
spirit houses and a man who had been in the services after midnight and earlier
in the day came running up to us—he had planned to be at the services but did
not get there until we were outside. He wanted to talk to us about salvation and
he ended up making a profession of faith and since the congregation was gathered
there with us they gladly agreed to his being received for baptism.

When we finished at this place, we, along with
the congregation, again started for the river. Another couple caught up with us
and wanted to hear the gospel and we stood outside in front of a house and with
the congregation presented the gospel to them. The man immediately confessed
Christ and asked Bro. Anond to cut off the strings that he wore on his wrist in
honor of the evil spirits. Bro. Anond borrowed my pocket knife and cut them off
and this grown man actually wept for joy as he was cutting them off and said
that at last he was free.

His wife still had some hesitation but wanted
us to tell her more about Jesus Christ and I talked to her with Bro. Anond
translating and he talked some also. After about ten more minutes she suddenly
extended her wrist and asked Bro. Anond to remove the strings from her wrists.
She confessed to have trusted Christ. We questioned her and were satisfied her
confession was genuine and then she and her husband asked if they could be
received for baptism, they were and then we headed on to the river. There was
one other profession of faith on the way to the river but the young man is a
deaf mute and his parents think he is retarded. With the help of some of the
members of his family we were able to converse with him and I was personally
convinced the young man was saved and he was received for baptism but his
mother, not a Christian herself, forbade it, because she thinks he is retarded.
By the time we arrived at the river there were 8 adults to be baptized. It was
an amazing day.

I am telling you God is working in this
village. He is turning it upside down, or RIGHT SIDE UP. In a few weeks
it had gone from being given almost totally to spirit worship to being
predominately Christian and Baptist. Twenty-one (21) adults had been baptized, a
church had been organized and there was joy in the village that was amazing. I
suspect this will be one of our stronger churches in the work very soon. It was
wonderful to be an instrument in this work of God.

From various sources I have heard that a lot
of people got a good laugh about my putting a picture of my new bathroom in the
last paper. If you will take a look at this toilet at Plang Hok you might
understand why I am so happy with the one next to my office in the new building.

ILLINOIS: Thank you for all these very good articles,
Pastor Camp. I am looking forward to many others.

ARKANSAS: I have read a couple of your publications of
The Grace Proclamator and Promulgator .The sermons that are published in these
papers proclaim the great truths of Gods word .The depraved man is using every
means thinkable to hide or do away with these truth completely. It is
refreshing to see that there are people who continue to believe and preach the
great truths of the Bible. God convicted me of my sin and saved my soul three
years ago and I would like to be placed on your mailing list to receive these
great truths of Gods word. Thank You.

WWW: I ran across your article on the web entitled
"Knowing Christ as the One Having the Keys of Hell and Death."
It was a great sermon!

I have a question: Where do we get the idea that Christ
descended into hell and took the keys of hell and death from Satan? I
cannot find any scriptural grounds for this statement.

EDITOR'S RESPONSE: You asked:

“Where do we get the idea that Christ descended into hell
and took the keys of hell and death from Satan?”

This idea came from Lutheran doctrine and has filtered into
other groups. My personal conviction is that Christ did not go into hell but
that he suffered its equivalent when the Father made his soul an offering for
sin.

FROM THE SAME READER: I totally agree with you. I
researched it just yesterday and came to the same conclusion. One more thing
(then I will sign out for good!). Did Christ take the keys of hell and death
from Satan? If so, where is it in scripture? According to my understanding Rev
1:18 says he has the keys of hell and death...that's it.

EDITOR'S RESPONSE: No, I do
not believe that Jesus took the keys of death and hell from Satan. He has always
had them by virtue of the fact that he is God as well as man. You are right in
your interpretation of Revelation 1:18. I am sure you noticed that He speaks of
his eternality in that verse also. I do not think that is coincidence. He would
have us know, I believe, that he has always had those as God and God the Father
may have also given them to him as a reward for his fulfilling his part in the
eternal covenant of redemption.